Are trials public

All mediation sessions scheduled for the month are to be held remotely over the Zoom platform, according to the policy. The order cited a continuing public health crisis and the surge in COVID cases that prompted the filing. Hemphill said each judge will make efforts to remotely handle pending matters and individuals with jury trials scheduled in January should contact their attorney with any questions. Not everyone can observe every portion of every trial. Judges generally prohibit anyone who might be called to testify from watching any of the trial proceedings before testifying also known as sequestering witnesses.

Also, judges often exclude the media from parts of trials that include particularly sensitive or difficult testimony. On occasion, judges go to greater lengths and exclude all non-courtroom personnel from the trial "close the courtroom". Usually, judges only close a courtroom when there would otherwise be a substantial risk of danger either to particular people or the public at large.

The following are appropriate reasons for closing a courtroom:. In some cases, such as those involving organized crime and gangs, there may be concerns about the safety of the judge, witnesses, or court staff. Court closure may occur, for example, if a witness is in protective custody or previous witnesses have been intimidated.

The identities of victims, witnesses, and sometimes defendants may lead to court closure. In rape cases, for example, laws often protect the victim's identity, so the judge may redact the victim's name and close the courtroom when she testifies.

Courtrooms are often closed to protect the identity of undercover police officers or confidential informants. Juvenile court proceedings unless the child is being tried as an adult are closed to the public to protect the child from future implications of the case. The juvenile defendant's name is even redacted in court pleadings.

Similarly, the identities of witnesses and victims who are children are sometimes protected. In cases involving sexual exploitation or pornography, or in other cases where graphic or offensive evidence is necessary, the judge may close the courtroom to lessen the ongoing humiliation of the victims and minimize viewing of the offensive materials.

For example, in a prosecution for manufacturing and distributing child pornography, the court is likely to close the courtroom for any testimony that requires discussing the children involved or displaying the pornography itself. Sensitive information. Certain materials will pose a public threat or lose their inherent value if exposed to the public. In trials involving espionage, leaking classified information, and even theft of trade secrets, judges often close the courtroom.

Although judges have the option of closing the courtroom, the Supreme Court has held that they must always consider alternatives to closure.

So, trial judges are unlikely to close the courtroom unless there is a clear showing of possible compromise of the defendant's Sixth Amendment rights or any of the exceptions outlined above are at play. Even then, the courtroom closure must be as minimal as possible—judges should order a completely closed trial only if there is no less restrictive alternative to protect the parties involved such as excluding the media or closing for a portion of the testimony.

Otherwise, the judge risks setting the case up for a possible appeal down the line due to denial of the defendant's Sixth Amendment right to a public trial. The information provided on this site is not legal advice, does not constitute a lawyer referral service, and no attorney-client or confidential relationship is or will be formed by use of the site. The attorney listings on this site are paid attorney advertising. In some states, the information on this website may be considered a lawyer referral service.

Please reference the Terms of Use and the Supplemental Terms for specific information related to your state. In courts where RSS is available , PACER users can opt to receive automatic notification of case activity, summarized text, and links to the document and docket report.

Most documents and docket sheets for cases that opened before are in paper format and therefore may not be available online. Any search for older paper documents should begin by contacting the court where the case was filed. As a secondary source, such documents may be available from NARA. Fees are billed quarterly, and all fees are waived if the bill does not exceed a specified limit in a billing quarter. Government Publishing Office. Some documents are not ordinarily available to the public.

As noted in Privacy Policy for Electronic Case Files these include unexecuted summonses or warrants; pretrial bail and presentence reports; juvenile records; documents containing information about jurors; and various filings, such as expenditure records, that might reveal the defense strategies of court-appointed lawyers.